Hello, my name is Bill Tipton and
I work for Hewlett Packard Enterprise
as a Product Accessibility Champion.
As part of my responsibilities,
I educate and advise our product designers,
developers, and decision-makers
on accessible user experiences.
Unfortunately in May of 1999,
I suddenly went completely blind.
Since then, I have used a screen reader daily
to access the internet and other
digital technologies.
I often experience what it is like
to attempt to use software with
many accessibility and usability issues.
It is not a pleasant feeling or experience
when you are excluded from accessing a product
due to technical issues that could have easily
been avoided if somebody took the time
to incorporate accessibility early in the
design or development process.
Although I am a member of the disabled community,
I cannot speak for all people with disabilities.
However, I personally would like the chance
to be able to use all
digital technologies including software effectively,
so I am able to participate equally
in all of life's digital opportunities.
Through direct engagements, live demonstrations,
and usability evaluations,
I highlight the requirements, design standards, and value
to our business success
by supporting a diverse set of user personas,
including our valued customers with disabilities.
I encourage all researchers, product designers,
developers, product managers, and others
to incorporate accessibility and usability to create
more accessible products and experiences.
In life and in our work,
it is important to continuously advocate for
inclusive environments for all,
including becoming an ally for our
disabled community.
Thank you, and now
let's go out and create some positive change.